Ro Laren

They say you never told the True Story about Galon Two. They also say you didn't defend yourself 

at your court martial.

What was to defend? 

I didn't follow orders. 

Eight members of the away team died.

Your fault?

Yeah, my fault.

So you sit alone in crowded rooms staring at your drink.

I think you enjoy it.

I enjoy it?!

You work so hard at torturing yourself, 

I can only think you must enjoy it.

[Transporter room]

(a young woman in red uniform beams in, wearing a sullen expression and a fancy earring) 

RO: 

Ensign Ro Laren reporting as ordered, Commander. 

RIKER: 

You will follow Starfleet uniform code 

aboard This Ship, Ensign. 

(she removes the earring)

[Ready room]

RIKER: 

There will be members of this crew 

who will not want to serve 

with Ensign Laren, sir.

PICARD: 

They'll have to learn to live with it. 

RIKER: 

I intend to demand the highest level 

of performance from her. 

PICARD: 

I would expect nothing less. 

It won't be for long, Will. 

(doorbell) 

Come. 

(Ro Laren enters)

PICARD: 

Yes, Ensign Laren, 

please have a seat. 

RO: 

Ensign Ro, sir. 

PICARD: 

I beg your pardon? 

RO: 

The Bajoran custom 

has The Family Name first, 

The Individual's second. 

I am properly addressed 

as Ensign Ro.

PICARD: 

I'm sorry, I didn't know. 

RO: 

No, there's no reason you should. 

It's an old custom. Most Bajora these days 

accept the distortion of their names 

in order to assimilate. I Do Not. 

PICARD: 

I wish to be candid with you, Ensign. 

RO: Please. 

PICARD: 

I'm fully aware of your Starfleet record, 

your problems on other ships, 

and the incident on Garon Two 

that led to your court martial. 

And I'm concerned about your presence 

on this delicate mission. 

RO: 

I don't want to be here any more 

than you want me to be here, sir. 

RIKER: 

Then why did you accept this assignment? 

RO: 

If I may be equally candid? 

It's better than prison. 

RIKER: 

Better than prison? 

There are officers who wait years to serve on this ship. 

RO: 

Being called back into Starfleet was not my idea. 

RIKER: 

Nor ours. 

PICARD: 

Nevertheless, we will all be serving together. 

Commander Riker and I have expectations of you. 

RO: 

Captain, I know the routine. 

You don't have to worry about me. 

We're stuck with each other. 

So let's just get this over with as quickly as possible 

and we can go our own separate ways, okay? 

(Ro leaves) 

PICARD: 

Dismissed.

Captain's log, supplemental. 

We are approaching the Valo system on the outskirts 

of Cardassian territory, where many Bajorans have resettled.

[Observation lounge]

DATA: 

There are dozens of Bajoran camps on the three class-M planets. I suggest we may want to begin on Valo Three, where an adhoc leader named Jas Holza lives. The Federation has had several dealings with him. 

CRUSHER: I met Holza at a symposium a few years ago. 

PICARD: 

What can you tell us about him, Doctor? 

CRUSHER: 

I found him to be a very concerned leader 

and a good spokesman for his people. 

And a terrific dancer. 

No, really, I'm serious. 

At a reception afterwards. 

TROI: 

At least this man has genuine experience in Diplomacy.

PICARD: 

And that's a big advantage on this mission. 

Very well. Mister Data, will you contact Holza, arrange a meeting? 

DATA: Sir. 

RIKER: 

Ensign Ro, you're familiar with this star system. 

You'll take the conn. 

Is there a problem, Ensign? 

RO: 

You're wasting your time. Holza is nobody. 

He's the token Bajoran that respectable people 

invite to symposiums and diplomatic soirees. 

But he has no real influence among my people. 

DATA: 

Ensign, whom do you suggest we speak to? 

RO: 

Don't you understand? 

These are desperate people ready to martyr themselves. 

They don't want to talk. 

WORF: 

This ship is prepared to defend itself if necessary. 

RO: 

Oh, it will be. Don't fool yourself. 

This mission will end in bloodshed. 

PICARD: 

Well, let's hope that you're mistaken, Ensign. 

But can you point us at the right individual, 

as Mister Data suggested? 

RO: 

I would go to the camp on 

the southern continent of Valo Two. 

Find a man named Keeve Falor. 

He has no diplomatic experience. 

And he won't ask you to dance.

Captain's log, supplemental. 

I read about the achievements of 

the ancient Bajoran civilisation in my fifth grade reader. 

They were architects and artists, builders and philosophers when humans were not yet standing erect. 

Now I see how history has rewarded them.

[Bajoran camp]

(Ro gives her uniform jacket to a young girl) 

RO: 

This used to be me. 

KEEVE: Baleekam. Balleek, balleek. Baleekam! Baleek. 

(the children scatter) 

KEEVE: 

Ro Laren. It's been a long time. 

RO: 

Keeve Falor, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, 

Commander Data and Lieutenant Worf. 

PICARD: 

I'm pleased you agreed to meet with us, Mister Keeve. 

KEEVE: 

You honour me by the proper use of my name, Captain. 

PICARD: 

Ensign Ro has educated me. 

KEEVE: 

Has she? I'm pleased you still remember. 

Let me show you our camp. 

We are not a violent race, Captain. 

Just passionate about our cause. 

And that passion has led some to take up arms. 

PICARD: 

Do you know where we can find Orta? 

KEEVE: 

I'm afraid not. 

PICARD: 

Can you help us locate him? 

KEEVE: 

I'm sorry, I don't wish to help you. Don't misunderstand. 

I for one believe the raid on the Federation outpost 

was poor judgment. 

You are innocent bystanders, 

and I cannot condone violence against 

those who are not our enemies. 

PICARD: 

Then I don't understand why you are unwilling? 

KEEVE: 

Because you are innocent bystanders. 

You were innocent bystanders 

for decades as the Cardassians took our homes, 

as they violated and tortured our people 

in the most hideous ways imaginable, 

as we were forced to flee. 

PICARD: 

We were saddened by those events but they occurred within the designated borders of the Cardassian Empire. 

KEEVE:

 And the Federation is pledged not to interfere in the internal affairs of others. 

How convenient that must be for you, 

to turn a deaf ear to those who suffer 

behind a line on a map. 

PICARD: 

Well, I'm not here to debate Federation policy with you, 

but I can offer you assistance.

KEEVE: 

Simply because of one terrorist attack? 

Perhaps I should have known that. 

We should have attacked the Federation long ago. 

What do you think of that, Ro? 

RO: 

I think you're a small man 

who feels a rush of power in his belly 

and enjoys it far too much, Keeve.

Stop talking and listen. 

PICARD: 

We've had our problems with the Cardassians too, 

but now that we have a treaty, 

we're in a position to help. 

Your people have been forced to resettle all over the quadrant.

 

But now we can make a legitimate case with the Cardassians that this is not an isolated problem. 

We can work diplomatically on your behalf. 

But first, these terrorist attacks must end. 

KEEVE: 

We live in different universes, You and I. 

Yours is about diplomacy, politics, strategy. 

Mine is about blankets. 

If we were to exchange places for one night, 

you might better understand. 

PICARD: 

Mister Data, see to it that the replicators 

provide a blanket for every man, woman and child 

before nightfall. 

DATA: 

Aye, sir. 

(Data leaves) 

PICARD: 

Mister Worf, determine what these people may have 

in the way of emergency needs 

and provide for them. 

WORF: 

Yes, sir. 

(Worf leaves) 

KEEVE: 

Thank you. Return to your ship. 

I will contact you when I have any information 

that might be of assistance to you. Ensign. 

(Keeve leaves them)

PICARD: 

You were helpful. 

RO: 

The blankets were helpful. 

Nothing I said mattered.

PICARD: 

In an age when their technology 

should be able to 

clothe and feed all of them, 

that they should have 

to live like this. 

RO: 

I couldn't, and I wouldn't. 

That's one reason I ran away. 

They're lost, defeated. 

I will never be.